When to drink 98 barolos

I've already consumed plenty of my less expensive 1998 Barolos, but they weren't really ready to drink. I'd hold off for about 4 years, but if you want to crack one sooner, decant it for at least 3 hours first.


a

"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?" -- W.C. Fields

Ditto on that,

Had a '96 a few months ago, and that still had some nice life left in it.

LJ

"Drink up, me hardies, YO HO!"

Parkside Church

Griffin House

98s deserve at least a couple more years in the bottle.

I like bottle age on my Barolo. 2008+ for '98s, if not longer - depends on producer.

I agree with Futronic here. 2008 is when I'll first look at my 98s.

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Yes, but I came here for an argument.

Oh! Oh! I'm sorry, this is abuse.

Barolos luckily are drinkable a lot earlier nowadays, but I agree with futronic and grossie.

Just want to add that I'd REALLY save that one for aging (Nebbiolo is much more expressive with some age) and then drink the 96s while waiting for the 98 to mature.

My understanding is that the structure of the '96s will allow them to age even longer than the '98s. Maybe you'll be drinking both vintages at the same time.

Regardless, no rush to drink either vintage.

I'd find 98 very good reasons but with those vintages I'd wait.

Lady K has started the website: www.KillerB.biz

Every once in awhile our local retailer has closeouts on Nebbiolos that are not Barolo. Would these be worth considering or are they just the reject grapes ? Also would you age a Nebbiolo ordinaire ?

Stephanie, if you can find a bottle of Sandrone 2000 Nebbiolo Valmaggiore, you should try a bottle. It's fantastic juice for $30 - very ripe, elegant and has good Piedmontese character.

Stefanie,

I completely agree with jamietown. (jamietown, we should seriously find some time to drink Italians together Also, where did you find the Sandrone for under $30?)

Of course, virtually anything made by Sandrone is, in my mind, wonderful.

Another bottling you should try to pick up is the Icardi Nebbiolo (the official name of the wine is: Icardi Langhe Nebbiolo Suris Jvan). Depending upon vintage, I find this wine to have a little more in common with a Rhone, whereas the Sandrone has a little more in common with a Burgundy. FYI: I believe the '98 Icardi Nebbiolo still holds the record for most consumed wine by me (though 1999 Finca Sobreno Seleccion Especial is catching up).

The Icardi should cost in the low to mid twenties and it is distributed by Vinifera, if you want to search for it. Sandrone is imported by Marc de Grazia which, in the DC area, is distributed by Bacchus. In other areas it is distributed by Michael Skurnik.

happy drinking!
a

"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?" -- W.C. Fields

I suspect the “ten year minimum aging” rule overlooks many of the variables that ultimately determine when a Barolo (or a Barbaresco) is at its peak, not the least of which are the vintage, producer, and the way in which the particular wine is crafted. Many of the fruit-forward Barolo’s now available on the market are ready for consumption after just a few years of bottle sleep, and are being crafted with this in mind. A good example is the ’97 Stefano Farina Riserva – already this beauty offers a seductive Nebbiolo experience, and some might argue that additional sleep time won’t be to its benefit. Many of the ‘97’s are already hitting stride, and some of the “Piedmonte experts” have suggested that ’97 didn’t produce that many age-worthy examples. On the other hand, most of the ’96’s need at least 3-5 more years (even more in some cases) of bottle age before they’ll start to strut their stuff – it was a tannic, age-worthy vintage. 98 seems to have been a vintage that offers a little of both. While Clerico’s ’98 cru’s will take a long, long time to come around (because they’re crafted to be age-worthy), Cavalotto’s Barolo’s, with adequate decant time, are already drinking very well.

Steph – while the best of the grapes are almost always reserved for the Barolo hierarchy, the biggest difference in the “Langhe” Nebbiolo wines is the way they’re made. Many are blended with varying amounts of Barbera (and other grapes), and don’t spend the length of time aging in wood and/or the bottle that Barolo’s do. This helps keep the price generally down, although there are some expensive examples, while offering a good product that hits its peak at a younger age. They can be aged, but most don’t have the length of life that Barolo’s do.

limestoned,

quote:

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Cavalotto’s Barolo’s, with adequate decant time, are already drinking very well

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Funny, when I mentioned that I'd already begun to drink a few of my '98 Barolos I was, mainly, referring to the Cavalottos.


a

"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?" -- W.C. Fields

limestoned make a good point on the "earlier-drinking" Barolos and the Langhes.

Whiner, email me at jaimetown(at)hotmail.com and we can discuss details on an Italian OL.

I just wish sorting out all of this madness wasn’t so damn complicated!


[This message was edited by limestoned on Jan 15, 2004 at 12:29 PM.]

If I had to drink the `98s I have, I'd at least wait 3 more years. 5 would be ideal...

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AIM: Drunken Mariachi

Limestoned:

If you look at my initial statement, I qualified that the '98s will need 10+ years depending on producer.